Page 92 of Off Plan

It wasn’t until much later that I realized he hadn’t entirely answered the question.

* * *

“Doc Mason?”

I looked up from my deep contemplation of my pen drumming against my blotter to find Taffy standing by my desk, looking uncertain.

“Hey! Sorry. How was your lunch?” I put my pen away. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Fine. Lety asked for you.”

My heart gave a little lurch. “I’ll go by tomorrow and see her.”

“Listen, it’s none of my business, but um…” She sank into the seat in front of my desk, worrying her lip. “Juju said Isobel said Gloria said Rafe said he was coming to talk to you today about whether you were gonna stay here. Is that why he came this morning?”

I rubbed my eyebrow. “Yeah. He’s, um, found a replacement for me.” I pasted on a smile. “So, I guess I need to stop messing around and find a job, huh?”

“Well, I—that is to say,we—really hope you’ll stay.” Taffy’s whole face scrunched up. “It’s prob’ly not my place to say. I know we’re not really friends, and you’ve got your plans—”

I chuckled once without humor. I hadn’t had a clear plan in weeks. I’d gotten used to not having one. I’d started tolikenot having one.

“—but you fit here,” Taffy said quietly. “I mean, you could probably fitanywhere,but why not here, you know? Stay where you’re appreciated.”

“That’s very kind of you—”

“Not being kind. And I’m not just saying it just because this is the best job I’ve ever had either.” She smiled brightly. “I really mean it. Everyone at the Concha meant it.”

I snorted. I stood and came around to the front of the desk, leaned a hip back against it, and folded my arms. “You’re amazing at your job, Taffy. Whoever runs this office next will be lucky to have you. And I’m sure you’ll appreciate them, too.” My chest felt hollow just saying the words.

“Yeah, but would whoever comes next be able to convince Barbara Patenaude to let Emmaline Young drive her around town, and somehow make Barbara think she was doing a favor for a poor widow whilealsoconvincing Emmaline she was keeping the streets of Whispering Key safer? Would they be able to finally get Gloria Frye to stop wearing those dang high heels?”

I laughed. “Noticed that, did you?”

“Turns out she’s not much taller than I am!” Taffy giggled. “Think that’ll help her?”

I shook my head. “Wish I knew for sure.” I bit the inside of my lip and admitted, “I’m worried it might not be her shoes at all, but something with her heart. I want her to get some tests done. Things I can’t do here.” I spread my hands wide. “I told her I’d set it up. Even offered to go with her.”

“And no dice?”

“Nope. Big Rafe can’t function without her for a morning, or so she claims.”

“More like she doesn’t want him to have to,” Taffy said indulgently. “She’s got a bit of a crush on him.”

“Right?” I said, widening my eyes. “I completely agree. Which is probably why she’s not telling him anything about her symptoms. She wants to be superwoman in high heels, helping him preside over Whispering Key.”

“Yep.” Taffy grinned. “See? You get it.You fit.”

I hesitated. “I love it here, Taffy. I really do. Way,waymore than I thought I could even a few weeks ago. But—” I broke off and shook my head. “I don’t know.”

“But you want an important job in a big city.”

I slid my tongue over my teeth. “There’s a lot more stability in a job like that,” I said, quoting Mason-from-months-ago. “Financial security.”

“Right. Well, if you’re on the fence at all, try asking yourself if it’s better to be alittleimportant to alotof people or to be really,reallyimportant to afewpeople. Like, basically everyone on Whispering Key.” She smiled broadly and stood to leave. “And specifically to Fenn, of course.”

I forced an answering smile. Yeah, there was noof courseabout it. Fenn liked mea lot. I was as confident of that as I was of my own name. But what would Fenn-the-unplanner say if he heard I was thinking about staying on Whispering Key? Would he be excited? Or would he be annoyed that the terms had changed for this short-term thing we’d started? Would the idea of us being together long-term seem a little too much like planning for the future?

Besides which, I’d promised myself I wasn’t going to let someone else dictate my future ever again. Would I choose Whispering Key if it didn’t come with Fenn Reardon?